User comments for Erzsébet

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Countess Erzsébet Báthory of 15th century Hungary was an infamous bearer of this name. Sadistic and vain, she indulged in the torture and death of over 600 maidens to gain their youth, vitality and beauty. She was never charged with her crime and was walled up within her castle, where she died several years later.

Let's not be hasty here. The countess Bathory did not murder the girls, as is commonly believed, for their beauty. It might have been a minor motivation, true, but the primary one is sadism. She was not particularly discriminate in who she killed, you see - if a girl ever made a mistake dressing her, for instance, they'd be put in front of a specially designed iron maiden whether or not they were pretty. In short, she was just sadistic and twisted, not necessarily vain.

Erzsebet was the name of the "female Dracula," a countess who bathed in the blood of virgins to make herself look youthful. She was convicted of the deaths of 612 women in 1611 and died under house arrest three years later.

I like it, but anyone who would intentionally name their child after Erszebet Bathori is probably not fit to have children.

― Anonymous User 6/9/2007

Well, Erzsébet Báthory is most commonly known as Elizabeth Báthory. She's only known by her Hungarian name in academic circles and in Hungary, so naming your kid Erzsébet but not after Erzsébet Báthory is like naming your kid Lizzie, but not after Lizzie Borden.

1.) Winners write history. The Austrians were trying to discredit Erzsebet Bathory for years and came up with the Blood Princess story. Many historians even claim that none of what she was accused of doing ever happened. Austria wanted the Bathory's land and used their connections with the Holy Roman Empire to discredit her and take her land. The story stuck because the Austrians ruled for 100s of years afterwards.

2.) Szent Erzsebet is the patron Saint of Hungary. So really the name is associated with her. Many Hungarian based catholic churches in the USA are name St. Elizabeth because of this patron saint.

3.) Erzsebet is still a very popular name in Hungary. One of the most beautiful bridges accross the Danube is Erzsebet Sziget (Erzsebet Bridge). All the Hungarians I know do not give any credit to the Bathory sensationalism that people talk about.

Signed - A father who chose to name his daughter Erzsebet and IS fit to raise a child.